


Gone Too Far To Change

by goddessoftricksters



Category: Michael Sheen - Fandom, Passengers (2016)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Robots & Androids, Drama & Romance, F/M, Loneliness, Outer Space, Passenger (2016), Spaceships
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-06
Updated: 2019-08-30
Packaged: 2020-09-25 05:24:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 7,372
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20371402
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/goddessoftricksters/pseuds/goddessoftricksters
Summary: Nightmare woke Catherine up from her pod in The Avalon, fifty-five years early from Homestead 2. After wondering around the ship for weeks, she found a book written by a woman named Aurora Lane which leads her to Arthur, the Android bartender.Due to sentimental reasons, she attached to Arthur and knew she must do something. Time waits for nobody, isn't it?





	1. First Day

**Author's Note:**

> Hey readers! This is the first time I posted my writing in AO3. I'm sorry if there are grammars error here and there.

A loud shout in distance yelled at her - it was her father's voice, Frans. She didn't knew if she did something wrong. Nobody ever told her and never would, because people around her just yelled at each other when something went wrong but never cared to explain what's the matter.

"Your writings are rubbish," Frans dryly told her. "You could be a secretary or a lawyer. But you went with... this... cringe crap."

She was sitting in the living room, while her father kept chattering about how useless she was. She tried to stood up, but Frans' hands reached her and slammed her to the floor. "You never listen, don't you?"

"Stop!" she yelled back. As she screamed, she saw her living room suddenly burnt. Fire was around them, there are flames everywhere but her father stood still. The ceiling was collapsing as she tried one more time to get up. "Look around you!" she screamed. "You have to get out!"

Everything was quaking and the ceiling tumbling down as she pulled her father away. Frans ran away and left her, as he always does. The living room was shaking and more collapsed roof falling around her. The ceiling above her, fell and hit her head. She could feel the pain as she screams and her eyes shot open.

In the meantime, a screen in Captain's Bridge showed that The Avalon just passed a planet with high-gravity potency. To avoid collision, the ship execute evasive maneuver and made The Avalon trembling for ten minutes straight. Ten minutes after, the system was back to normal... except for one pod. 

***

"Good morning, Catherine. How are you feeling?" someone asked.

She realized that she was breathless. After calm herself for a while, she said, "I'm sorry?"

A man - holograms, of course - smiled and answered her, "It's perfectly normal to feel confused. You just spent 120 years in suspended animation." _Suspended animation?_ She raised an eyebrow. And after that she remembered where she was. Moving to Homestead 2. Spaceship. Runaway. Outer space. Hibernated.

"Just breathe. Everything is okay, Catherine," The hologram man - he looks a lot like George Clooney to Catherine - told her. "It's Cathy to you," she groaned. "Where are we?"

"Starship Avalon, the Homestead Company's premier interstellar starliner. We've nearly completed the voyage from Earth to your new home. The colony world of Homestead II. A new world. A fresh start. Room to grow. The Avalon is on final approach. For the next four months, you'll enjoy space travel at its most luxurious. Food. Fun. Friends." Okay, he sounds preachy to her right now, even he's just a hologram.

"Uh-huh." she mumbled.

'George Clooney' continued, "The ID band on your wrist is your key to the wonders of the Avalon. You're in perfect health, Cathy. Let's get you to your cabin where you can get some rest. You may be experiencing post-hibernation sickness."

"I am," she cleared her throat.

She get off from her pod and walked out to a corridor. Suddenly a door with number 199 illuminated. "Is it mine?" she asked. The hologram George Clooney popped up in front of it and nodded. "Welcome to your cabin, your home until we make landfall. Over the next four months, you'll prepare for your new life on Homestead II, meet your fellow passengers, take skill-building classes, and learn about colonial living," He said as she entered her cabin. The interior was dominated by silver and light blue colors, which gave her goosebumps instead of comforting feeling. "Where's my stuff?" she asked.

"You've been assigned to learning group 8 for passengers with writing and literary skills. Please scan your ID to confirm luggage delivery," the George Clooney Guide said while glanced at a hologram beside her.

"Thank you," he said. "To help you recover from hibernation, be sure to drink plenty of fluids. Enjoy the rest of your voyage on the Avalon, a Homestead Company Starship."

The hologram's gone and she left alone. _I get used to this_, she thought.

After that, she drank lots of water to cured her thirstiness.

***

The next morning, she took a bath and get dressed. She wore a floral dress and a pair of sneakers and got her hair done. It was her first day, after all! I must look good on the first day, she thought. "Good morning, one and all," The George Clooney said through the speaker. "It's a beautiful morning here on the Starship Avalon. Whatever you do, don't get homesick, get Homestead."

"Is it an ad or a greeting?" She chuckled in front of the mirror as she wore a lip gloss. Satisfied with herself, she walked out from her cabin and walked to the learning room 8 which was near her cabin, surprisingly.

She expected a crowd and bunch of writers inside the learning room, but when she got there she was all by herself. But she didn't late. Suspicious, she took a seat in front of the podium while the hologram greet her. "Hello, passengers. Will you all please take a seat."

"But-"

"Welcome, learning group 8. Your introduction to colonial life. Earth is a prosperous planet, the cradle of civilization. But for many, it's also overpopulated, overpriced, overrated."

"Pardon me, I think I might be mis-"

He raised a hand and said, "Hold all questions till the end, please."

"But where is _EVERYBODY_?" she raised her voice impatiently.

"We are all on the Starship Avalon."

"I don't see if that's relevant," she snapped. "This room must've filled with other people! Where are they?"

"There are 5,000 passengers and 258 crew members."

"I know, I read the ad before I bought the tickets here," she rolled her eyes. "_Where_ are we?'

"We're all in this together."

"Uggh!" she groaned and she ran outside the room. "Hello?" she called. "Is anybody here with me?"

She found herself an elevator. The voice through the speaker told her to buckle up but she didn't listened, which caused her afloat fifteen centimeters from the floor for twenty-seconds. But she could care less. "Grand Concourse!" she told the elevator.

Finally she reached her destination. An AI greeted her, "Welcome to the grand concourse aboard the Avalon. Can I help you?"

"Yes, yes, I need to speak with a human, a real one," Catherine asked. "Please?" 

"What sort of person?" The AI asked back. "Teacher? Personal Assistant? Prostitute? Psychiatrist?"

_Did this AI just offered me a prostitute?_ She frowned. "Anyone! Or someone in higher position?"

"The ship's steward handles passenger affairs? It's on level three of the grand concourse."

“Thanks,” she said and she ran off. She heard the AI answered, “Happy to help,” behind her back. The level three of the grand concourse wasn’t that far and Catherine was there shortly after, but she found nobody. Her heart beats faster and faster as she ran back to the AI. “You said there’s _human _there!” she yelled. “Who’s in charge to fly this spaceship?”

“The flight crew, the captain, the pilot, the chief navigator―”

“I need to speak with the captain.”

The AI told her, “The captain rarely handles passenger queries… Though, the captain is usually found on the bridge, in the command ring. But bridge access requires special authorization.”

“Are you kidding?!” she screams.

“I’m afraid, no,” the AI responded.

“How dare you―” she stopped herself, _there’s no use arguing with AI,_ she thought and she continued to ran away. “Is there anybody here?” She continued to screams and yelled and exclaimed.

She only could hear silent, very loud and clear.

Her foot brought her to the observatory, which she thought was a planetarium. “Welcome to the observatory,” a man’s voice said. “What can I show you?”

“When we’re about to land?” Catherine asked. “I’m the only one person here.”

“I don't understand. What can I show you?”

She sighed and stood in the middle of the room. “Okay, then. Show me Homestead 2?”

Sparks and lights surrounded her, and with it, the observatory showed her the galaxy with its planet and thousands of stars. Two meters in front of her chest, a planet grew. “Homestead II is the Fourth planet in the Bhakti System.”

“I know right. Now, where are we?”

The stars moved around, back and forth while it tried to show the Earth. “We're in transit from Earth to Homestead II. We will arrive in approximately 55 years.”

“Huh?”

Something wasn’t right. Catherine knew it. “But I supposedly wake up four months before the arrival!” she frowned. “What do you mean?”

“We will arrive at Homestead II in 55 years, a week and three day.

“No joke,” she trembled upon her own words. Fifty-five years? Did the hologram wake her up at the wrong time? “How long ago we left Earth?”

“Approximately 65 years ago.”

** _Approximately 65 years ago._ **

She walked out from the observatory as silent as a lamb. This is not good at all. “I wake up fifty-five years? This earlier? She said to herself. 

Catherine tried to go back to the hibernation hall, where they put lots of pods there. She recalled where her pod was and clicked some buttons or something to put her back to hibernation mode. But after desperate screams and lots of attempts, the screen on her pods kept saying _MALFUNCTIONED POD, DO NOT USE_.

“This is no use,” she whispered and sat on the floor by herself.

The only thought left inside her mind was; _I’m going to die alone in this spaceship._


	2. First Week

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Catherine found a journal signed by a woman.

Catherine was grateful about her decision to bring all the music and books she own. Her luggage filled by CD tapes, portable speaker and DVD player (both of them were old-fashioned), earphones, dozens of books and most importantly, her phone with tons of songs. She doesn’t have a lot of things to do, especially by herself.

She tried to search sleeping pills or drugs or hibernation serum but she couldn’t find one. The searching leads her to the cafeteria which was the smallest one near her cabin, according to the AI. At least she doesn’t have to worry about starvation because there are lots of foods there and no one to share.

Most of the time, she found the George Clooney hologram is rather annoying. Like this morning, the third day after she woke up. “Good morning, Cathy. It’s a beautiful morning in The Avalon. How can I help?” he asked.

Rubbing her eyes, she groaned to the hologram near her bedside, “Breakfast in bed would be nice,” she said.

“I’m afraid I can’t help you with that,” _George Clooney_ said.

“If you can’t do that, shut your two-dimensional mouth and let me catch some Z’s.”

“I shall remind you, Cathy, you’re still recovering from hibernation. Do get enough fluids to help your body.”

“You sucks at the morning,” she said and covered her head with sheets.

She took a bath at 11 in the morning and get dressed, this time she picked a simple white top and a training pants. She tied her hair and go to the cafeteria and grab a breakfast. The breakfast menu was pretty satisfying to her. “There are oatmeal, cereal, tuna sandwiches, beef sandwiches, waffles…” she scrolled the menu screen. “Ah! Hot chocolate and waffles will be it.”

Her phone was playing Daniel Boone’s Beautiful Sunday while she had her breakfast. On her notes, she listed some things she could do to prevent her from dying in outer space alone.

  * Check sleeping pills or anything to put me back to sleep (found none)
  * Repair my pod (failed for sixteen attempts)
  * Check food supplies (done)
  * Call customer service on Earth (no use. I’d pay $5.786 to get some response after 49 years. I won’t pay for shit)
  * Find another functioning pod (found none)
  * Decorate my room (40% done)
  * Wake the others (this sounds selfish. I won’t do this. This means they’d die with me)
  * Find someone to talk to 

The last thing on her list was nearly impossible because the only pod that malfunctioned is only hers, but she would give a shot.

*** 

Catherine couldn’t get in to other cabin, so she’s already bored on the sixth day. She decided to travel more with the elevator, no matter how much she dislikes it. At noon, she found the Captain’s Bridge and the AI was right – to enter the room it needed special authorizations, which could be found in badges. And her badge is the regular one, so she just left it. Walking in lots of corridors filled by empty cabins and hollow rooms, she found herself curious if there was anyone, somewhere in this ship, was awake too.

At the end of the day (_I can’t find the difference between night and day, so whatever,_ she thought) she stepped into a hall. This one is larger than the other halls and almost looked like a ballroom. It was a sphere, soft-lighted.

There was a house in the center of the hall, surrounded by grass and trees. _Grass and trees? _Curiously, she stepped closer to the house. She could hear birds whistle, and she looked up to see if the whistle wasn’t from the speakers.

She couldn’t believe it; there were _two_ sparrows flying above her!

“Hello?” she could feel her heart beat faster. “Is there anyone inside that house?” she asked.

She knocked the door and the door simply swung open – maybe because it made of a thin aluminum. “Hello?”

The entire house was made of thin aluminum but somehow managed to make it look like a cozy cottage made of brick, she realized that soon after. When she touched the walls, she knew that the walls were painted. The interior was simple, though. A sofa with its color matched with the walls was in the corner of the room. There was a painting of city in black and white, which she recognized as Manhattan. She pushed a door which led to a bathroom with bathtub, and another door led her to a bedroom.

The bedroom was interesting. There was a bed, tidy and clean with pillows and sheets. Beside the bed, there was a wide table with two jars. She picked one of the jars with handwriting on it. “In loving memory of Aurora Lane-Preston, may she rest in peace,” she read. She put down the jar and picked up another jar. “In loving memory of Jim Lane-Preston, may he rest in peace,” she said. “They’re married?”

She put down the jar, and glanced at a frame photo with a photograph of a woman and a man kissing. Judging on how they looks – happy, content and blessed, Catherine assumed – both of them might be in their 20’s. The man – Jim Preston – looks a few years older than the woman. She put back the frame photo.

“They clearly passed away,” she said to herself. But she was unsure when exactly both of them dead.

And the jar might contain their ashes. “Cremation, but who did it?” she asked.

Catherine was staring at the bedroom, found nothing interesting and she meant to get out from the house until she glanced at the bed. A book, hardcover.

Without hesitation, she took the book and went outside the house.

***

_10 January, 31 years after departed from Earth_

_A man told me that my pod malfunctioned and I woke up. Actually, I have no idea how to begin this sort-of diary. I don’t even know what year is this. _

_As a journalist, I taught myself to think systematically and based-on facts. New York told me to be strong among the wilderness of society. My parents taught me how to calm myself down every time I have doubts and/or have something to decide. _

_But none from my experiences after exiting for 26 years on Earth prepares me to face something like this; being awoke 90 years earlier from 5,000 other people, far away in the outer space. Why me, among thousands of passengers in this ship? A little girl could be. A pregnant woman could be. Another man could be. In this universe where the angels and demons love to rolls the dice, they chose me to be their next experiment. The universe could be funny if they want._

_The man, Jim Preston, said that he woke up a year ago and tried everything to be asleep but he couldn’t. I’m trying to search some sleeping pills, I wish I will find one (or two, I’ll spare one for Jim). _

_I will start to unpack my luggage tomorrow morning. Right now I’m feeling drained. It might be the effect post-hibernation… or dehydration. Who knows?_

_Aurora Lane_


	3. Arthur

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Maybe millions of people go by, but they all disappear from view  
And I only have eyes for you."
> 
> "That song, was that your favorite?"  
"One of them, yes."  
"Any particular reasons you picked that song?" Arthur asked.  
Yes. "No," she lied.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> dear readers,  
you might want to listen to Peggy Lee's I Only Have Eyes For You while reading this chapter.

“Evening!” she could hear a voice from distance. Not the _George Clooney_’s. She didn’t recognize who the owner was, so she spun her head to see who just called her. “Over here!”

She turned around and saw a bar… and _him_. Man wearing red suit stood behind the bar, and wave his hand at her.

Catherine obviously couldn’t believe of what she saw. With Aurora Lane’s journal on her hands, she walked into the bar. Now she could see him closer; dark-haired man and might be in mid 30’s. He looked well-educated, judged by how he dressed, and both of his bright eyes staring at her curiously ― and welcoming her. “My goodness,” she whispered.

“You look lost, Miss,” he said. “May I help you?”

“Oh, am I?” she raised an eyebrow.

“This ship is awfully large. Some people get lost and that’s my job to help them,” he smiled, “and you _don’t_ look like a drinker type.”

Without thinking, she said, “Can I hug you?”

“I’m sorry?”

And that was it. She ran to the bar table and gave him a big warm hug across the table. “You won’t believe how much I longing for that,” she letting go of him a moment after. “It’s really nice to see new face here. I thought I’m the only one!”

The man didn’t move for a while and just staring at Catherine confusedly. “Oops. Pardon me and my excitement,” she told him with a smile, “My name’s Cathy, short from Catherine.”

He smiled and nodded. “Arthur’s the name,” he said.

“I know,” Catherine shyly admitted. “I read a bit about you from this journal. This is written Aurora Lane and I found it… near here. I haven’t finished it yet. I just got to a part where Jim Preston took Aurora to the bar.”

His face lit up when she mentioned Jim Preston and Aurora Lane. “Ah. She wrote about me? What a lovely couple,” he commented.

“You remember them? I might experience the same issues as them. I’m not supposed to be awake,” she said. “How much do you know about this spaceship?”

“I know some things,” he said.

“Well, I’m pretty sure there are issues about malfunction pods before,” she tried to dig some information. “It _did_ happen to Jim.”

“I can confirm it, yes,” he looked at her calculatingly.

“So, what happened to you?” Catherine asked him.

Arthur tilted his head a little bit. “Cathy, I’m afraid I’m not the man you think I am,” he told her. “I’m an Android.”

“You what?”

Something inside her was collapsing: _no, no, no, he’s not a human? After everything I’ve read from the past week? After get lost multiple times to reach this bar?_

“I’m an Android,” he repeated, “I’m surprised you didn’t know.”

She shakes her head. “I’ll read you some excerpts,” she said and her hands reached the journal.

“_Jim invited me to a game arcade today. Something I’ve never done before. I usually playing board games, something you’d play in early 20’s. I thought he’d take me to play riddles or something. But it wasn’t as I expected; he brought me to dance with him. What is it called? Partner mode? Anyways, I enjoyed it so much. No guy ever took me to a game arcade before. They usually just took me to the cinema or study meeting (which is boring as hell). After that, he introduced me to Arthur the bartender. He’s a humble guy. On my opinion, he’s the person who would talk to you about the meaning of life at 2 am while stargazing. I could tell; he spent a year befriended with Jim, listens to him and understands him. I’d thank him someday because he had accompanied Jim through his early days. Jim probably lost his mind if Arthur wasn’t there in the first place, because I would too.”_

Arthur, although he stated that he’s an Android, showed a surprised expression. “She never refers you as an Android,” Catherine said.

“That’s very… kind of her,” Arthur mumbled.

“And I will not refer you as an Android as well,” she said, looked down to Aurora’s journal and close it. Little did she know that Arthur had a glitch after heard her statement, which was unusual for him. _Glitch only happens if I tried to digest sentimental thoughts of humans or if I haven’t rest for days, _Arthur thought.

Right now, Arthur and Catherine just look at each other awkwardly. Catherine took a breath, and she smiled to Arthur. “I’m sorry. I’m not good with first impressions,” she held out her hand, offered a handshake. “If you may, we can start over. My name is Catherine.”

The bartender took her hand without hesitation. “Pleasure to meet you, I am Arthur, your bartender.”

She let go of Arthur’s hand – for surprise to her; his hand was tender and warm on her hand. “You said I’m not the drinker type. I’m not your customer,” she said. “Well, then,” Arthur smiled playfully, “no one ever resists a milkshake.”

“Hey, how could you know it’s my favorite? You read my mind?” she chuckled. “A milkshake will do. I need something refreshing.”

“See? No one allergic to milkshakes,” Arthur said proudly. As he moved to the other side of table, she took a chance to take a look at Arthur’s full profile. “You have legs,” Catherine realized. “Even the others don’t have legs.”

“Oh, that,” Arthur glanced at his legs – he wore a trousers with the same color as his suit and an Oxford shoes. “Jim made that for me. The legs, I mean. Aurora found trousers that matched color with my suit. I’m proud of it, by the way. Quite simple to use, I just need to recharge my legs for two hours per day.”

_Jim must be a mechanic,_ she thought. “If he can make you legs, why couldn’t he fix his pod?” Catherine asked.

“The pods are can be used once because it supposedly for a one-way trip. They are also fail-safe,” Arthur explained to her.

“If the pods are fail-safe, I wouldn’t stand here and accept a milkshake offer from you,” she rolled her eyes.

Arthur glanced at her shortly. “I will not argue that, hence this malfunctioning had ever happened before,” he finally said.

The milkshake – low-fat milkshake, she wondered if Arthur really _did_ read her mind – served and she picked up the glass in front of her lips. Before she took a sip of it, she smiled at him and murmured, “Thank you.”

“Anytime,” he replied with a smile. “No offense, but your bar is a bit… _deserted_,” she commented while observed the bar’s interior. “You have an idea to make it more crowded? This bar needs some marketing strategies.”

Arthur chuckled to hear that. “None taken. Anyway, we haven’t receive song request or whatsoever these days,” he responded.

“Song requests? You’re a singer too?”

He giggled and shrugged his head. “I’m not the one who sang the requests,” he explained. “If a guest requests a song, usually I play the digital version of the song through the speaker. We never had a bar singer or band.”

“Ooh, that’s practical,” she commented and sip her milkshake. “I always wanted to be a bar singer in high school.”

“Although, we always try to hire one,” he continued.

“I think I know what you’re implying,” Catherine laughed. “Do I need to do some voice warm-ups? You’re going to interview me?”

“Our conversation is enough, I think, and I might want to hear _more_ from you.”

“Okay. Be a fair jury for me,” she said. Catherine put down the milkshake and nodded. “What song you’d like to hear?” she asked.

Arthur responded with a wide smile. “Show me the best of yours.”

She smiled and cleared her throat. Then she sang her favorite;

_“Are the stars out tonight?_

_I don’t know if it’s cloudy or bright_

_‘Cause I only have eyes for you, dear.”_

To Catherine, Arthur might recognized this song because he looks enjoying it. He even moved his body and seems synchronized himself with her voice.

_“The moon may be high_

_But can’t see a thing in the sky_

_’Cause I only have eyes for you_

_I don’t know if we’re in a garden_

_Or on a crowded avenue_

_You are here… so am I_

_Maybe millions of people go by, but they all disappear from view_

_And I only have eyes for you.”_

Catherine ended her very first performance with a bow while Arthur gave her applause. “That was exquisite,” he praised her.

“I get the job then?” she asked him.

“It is yours now. You have The Avalon Bar stage all day and night,” Arthur stated. "That song, was that your favorite?"

"One of them, yes."

"Any particular reasons you picked that song?" Arthur asked.

_Yes._ "No," she lied.

“It’s from Peggy Lee, isn’t it?” Arthur guessed.

Catherine nodded excitedly. “You know her?”

“Not really,” he raised his shoulders. “Mind if I ask you something?”

“Go ahead,” she allowed him and took another sip of her milkshake.

Arthur looked at her calculatingly – again – before he asked, “To me, you don’t seem frightened to be around this ship by yourself. Why is that?”

“You’re kidding? I’m _terrified to death_,” she spat it out; “I spent weeks just babbling alone around this ship thinking I’m the only person awake. There’s a reason why I hugged you earlier. For a moment, I’m not alone anymore and I need to make sure of it.”

“Technically, you’re the only one who's awake. I am an Android,” he said.

She finished her milkshake and shook her head. “No, you’re not,” she said firmly and gave him a warm smile before stood up. “Thanks a lot for the milkshake.”

As she walked out from the bar, Arthur told her, “You can start the job tomorrow!”

“I’m looking forward for it!”


	4. Day 24

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "... I finished a song  
written with wine and the thoughts of you  
now, what you want me to do? 
> 
> sing it, she said  
sing it like you meant it ..."
> 
> ― Aries' Days of Misfortunes, page 299  
written by Catherine C

Catherine spent the rest of her day pacing back and forth behind the giant window that separates her from the outer space with her earphones on. In simple English, she was stargazing and listening to rain sounds ASMR.

After she met the bartender, she had an idea to find her pod manual book and she found it (after long hours wrecking her own cabin). She spent another day to get into the manual book. The manual said that pods are actually sensitive of shock and it could be repaired by replacing a spare part with a new one. That was what she’s been doing all day. She found the spare part and carefully replaced it. Her pod was working at least for the first four seconds.

She found a component burnt. _The pod couldn’t get burnt after experienced a massive shock, could it?_ She wondered.

Disappointed, she stopped repairing; she stopped trying everything and just wondering around until she got to this sight-seeing spot. _How long I’ve been in here, two hours? Am I running out of time?_

She sighed heavily. _I miss standing under the rain and how the rain made me soaking wet. I missed how tender the raindrops touched my skin, washed away my sins and my doubts of tomorrow days,_ she thought.

“Mind if I join you admiring the stars?” a voice asked her.

“George Clooney of Hologram, I swear to God―”

She put off her earphones and found Arthur stood two meters away from her side. “I’m sorry,” she chuckled, “I thought you were the guide. Come here.”

Arthur gave her a smile and stepped closer to her. “Do I sound like the guide?” he asked her.

“No, it’s just my mind is in somewhere else.”

“Good to know, because you sound hate him when he’s around,” Arthur commented.

“I found him quite irritating and useless,” she admitted and it made Arthur giggled. “So, it’s been three days after you came. I’m considering a pink slip because you didn’t show up to work,” he said.

“Is it?” 

Arthur noticed that Catherine seems disinterested with the topic and tried to change it. “What are you listening to?” he asked. “Jazz songs?”

“Nope, just some rain sounds,” she shook her head.

“Ah,” Arthur nodded. “Rain is often used to soothe and brings calming mood.”

She scoffed at his saying. “You, sound like a textbook,” Catherine judged him.

“Am I?” he questioned. “I heard a lot of people talk about it in several occasions. Although I’m waterproof-made, I haven’t experience rain or storms yet.”

“And why is that?”

“Because I’m a bartender,” he simply answered.

“That is not an excuse to be stuck in a same place for years,” she said.

His eyes were glancing outside the window. “Before Jim made me legs, I can’t even walk around this ship by myself.”

Catherine didn’t say anything. She turned off the rain sounds from her phone and she tried to put her earphones on Arthur. “What are you doing?” Arthur asked, but he didn’t move.

“Share the rain experience with you,” she assured him. “I need you to put this on.” After he finished arranging her earphone, Catherine continued, “You ready?”

Arthur nodded. Catherine had a gut feeling that Arthur is kind of nervous by seeing his eyes movement. But he answered her, “I am."

Firstly, she turned on the rain sound on low volume for thirty seconds before raised up the volume. After that she gave him a moment of silent and studied Arthur’s expression, which is hard for her because his expression is not changing much.

“How is it feels like?” Arthur asked her after three minutes listening to the rain sound. “The rain when it comes to you?”

“Wet, obviously,” she answered. “But mostly when you feel the raindrops on your skin, it feels tender and reassuring. Somehow it helps you to relieving something you hold onto.”

“You describe it way different than everyone else.”

“Maybe because I’m a writer and I’m supposed to be like that?” she wonders. “Anyway, how the others usually describe rain?”

“They just hate it when it rains because they must’ve canceled their plans and _planes_,” Arthur said. “Planes cost a lot, you know. My VVIP customers are often complaining about things they can’t control, such as rain and storms. By the way, is this _Careless Whisper_ by George Michael?”

“What, no! I put the rain sounds on―” while she tried to see what song they’re on, she ejected the earphone from her phone and George Michael’s _I'm never gonna dance again __t__he way I danced with you_ blasting from her phone. When the song reached the infamous saxophone play, she turned the music off.

“That… is not what I meant.” Catherine took off her earphone from Arthur.

“Well, at least I know what you like; _Wham!_” Arthur grinned and she burst out laughing for the first time after she woken up. “Yeah, they’re amazing. I always found myself attracted to old movies, old songs and old books, something that came out around 1950 until early 2000. Others found it weird, even my friends found it weird. My mum is also a fan of 20’s. She said it was the best time to live on Earth.”

“Your mother, she’s in this ship too?” Arthur asked.

She chuckled. “No. She remarried and lives with my brother in Homestead I a couple of years ago.”

“Oh. I see,” Arthur nodded. “And why you decided to go on a voyage to Homestead II instead of Homestead I? You could reunite with your mother.”

“That’s a good question. No one ever ask that question. I’m on a runaway. Nothing evil or fishy, though. I bet you’re reading my records right now.”

“I don’t,” Arthur denied.

She sighed and continued, “I left Earth because I thought it’s a right thing to do. Well, until my pod is malfunctioned…”

Arthur told her, “Something must be happened for a reason."

_He had the point, though,_ she admitted.

Arthur and Catherine arrived at the bar together and she realized an addition on the corner of the room. “It wasn’t there yesterday,” she pointed the piano.

“Correct,” he nodded his head, “I put it there for you.”

“But I didn’t say I can play it, and it’s true, I _can’t _play the piano,” she told him as she took a step closer to the piano. “Although, I must admit it’s a gorgeous one. Where did you get this?”

Arthur casually said, “I moved it from the chapel. No one is into gospel song these days. I bet no one would mind.”

She laughed, imagining Arthur took the piano from the statue of Jesus and sneaked it out from the chapel. “You’re the MVP,” she said and took a seat behind the piano. “Well, then. Who’s gonna play this stunning piano?”

Catherine could see confidence so pure and excited as Arthur told her proudly, “I am.”

“But whom… who taught you…” she couldn’t help but bemused. “I mean, I didn’t mean to underestimate your ability. I had people tried to teach me piano lessons but none of them ever succeeded.”

“Do it like they said; _with patience,”_ he said.

“That is bullshit,” she said with a laugh. “Come on, tell me who taught you.”

“I learned and studied human cultures and civilizations before I sent to serve the voyage. It’s safe to say that I taught myself.”

“That’s amazing,” she blurted out. “May I hear you play?”

She stood beside the piano, waited his answer as he took a seat behind the piano. “Okay. What song would you like to hear?” he asked, his hands are steady on the piano keys.

_If he studied Earth culture, it means he could play every song that human ever created. He must like a bank of songs,_ she thought. “Play _you_,” she said.

“I’m sorry?”

“I didn’t ask any specific songs that ever existed,” she repeated, “just play _you_.”

“You want me to play―”

“―whatever you want to.” She finished it for him. For a moment, he didn’t respond nor speak a word. He just looked down on his hands with blank face. It looked like he just froze. “Arthur?” she put her hand on his shoulder. “You okay?”

His eyes blinked and he seemed back to normal again, his eyes met hers and he smiled worryingly. _Worry?_ “I’m afraid your request might take some time,” he told her.

“It is fine,” she smiled assuredly. “Don’t push yourself, please. I just want to hear people playing with piano, I think it’s calming in the way,” she responded. “By the way, I must admit I studied piano a lot. When I was younger, I think.”

Hearing this random confession, Catherine thought Arthur seems interested. “You said no one ever succeeded to teach you,” he commented. “That is true. My father tried to taught me, but he never could and either did lots of piano teachers after. At the age of fifteen, I asked my father to stop making me learn how to play piano.” She continued.

“And then you stopped?” he asked her.

“After he bashed my hands, yes, he let me to stop.”

“I…” Arthur seems to struggle to say something. “I’m sorry to hear that.”

“It’s alright. It was a long time ago. I’m chattering about sad story from my past times and you don’t know how to react and says sorry. Even when I told my friends about my childhood, they reacting the same way and being awkward.”

Catherine cleared her throat and made a gesture for Arthur to follow her. “Care to take me to a dinner?” she asked. “I’m starving.”

He nodded and stood up.

Little did they know, Arthur had Catherine’s trust and Catherine caused Arthur to have another glitch.


	5. Truth Be Told

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "... how could you spot the difference  
between a truth and a lie?
> 
> it is pretty simple, really, she says  
lie comforts you  
but truth...  
may confronts you."
> 
> ― Aries' Days of Misfortunes, page 29  
written by Catherine C

She would start to write per day. “And I think I need to jog for an hour,” she decided.

_First entry_

_25 days after I woke up_

_I woke up to a nightmare, exactly like the first time I woke up in this ship. I’m alone in the sky and nowhere to land. Most of the nightmares, I dream of my father. And fire. If you ask me how I cope with this nightmare, I have no idea. On Earth I always dreaming of a runaway, so I guess I finally get my runaway (**a gold-class runaway, **although this is not what I imagine to be)._

_I found Aurora Lane’s journal coincidentally. She was a professional journalist. No wonder her writings are good, even though it’s just a diary. I haven’t finish reading it yet. Judging by her journal, she’s lucky that Jim also awake. I bet their marriage was a modern-day definition of happily ever after. (Who married them? Did they have a wedding ring and ceremony too?)_

_It’s important to add that by found Aurora Lane’s journal, her journal led me to this bartender. His name is Arthur. I’ve known him for at least… a week? He said he’s an Android but for an android he doesn’t behave like one. He is so divergent compared with androids back on Earth, meanwhile the others are just cold and formal and awfully polite to humans. It feels like me looking at the mirror and desperately wants myself change to be more beautiful than I already am (I’m not that good looking, but so far, no one ever call me breathtaking). I think that’s what made past generations obsessed to build robots and androids; to print perfections and shape them from metal and wires. In fact, creating robots and androids is just the same as slavery but more… modern. We humans couldn’t get our shit done by ourselves, could we?_

_About Arthur, I think we might be friends but it takes time. I doubt some things about him (like, can he see right through me and my records?) but I also have something noted in mind too (other androids would not move a piano from a chapel to a bar for you. He really did it! I haven’t asked how he did it, but I will). _

_Anyways, I will follow Aurora Lane’s advice to stay healthy. I’m going to jog right now. _

***

“Random question, Arthur,” Catherine walked into the bar nearly five hours after she finished jogging, “do you have another suits you keep away somewhere?”

“I don’t,” he answered shortly.

She took a seat in front the bartender. “Great! I found _a lot_ of suits with different colors and styles in Vienna Suite. I look good on it – believe me, I tried it – but they’re oversized. They might fit in you,” she told him.

“Thank you but I might not really need it,” said Arthur. “I have no intention to let go of my suit, though.”

“I presume your favorite color is red because you refused to get a new one?”

“Before I serve this voyage, I told to pick one out of million qualities to my suit.”

“_Colors.”_

“Yes. Indeed. Then I picked this suit.”

“So, it was almost like love from the first sight, then?”

Arthur frowned a bit before he answered, “I’d rather not portray it like that.”

She sighed. “True. I don’t really believe in love at first sight too. Anyway, will you take the suits or not? Changing clothes is part of _normal _human culture too, because it’s the simplest form of freedom on daily basis. That is why I’m not a fan of uniforms.”

“Catherine, this is not a robot conversation. You may forget that I have limits.”

“You said you’re an Android and now you telling me you’re not having robot conversation. Make up your mind, Arthur,” she smiled to him playfully. “Why you kept telling yourself you’re an Android?”

“I’m telling _you_ that I’m an Android,” he said.

“You can be whoever you want to be, Arthur, because we are beyond the limits right now. We’re _literally _in the outer space. We’re on our own!”

Arthur stared at her calculatingly. At this point, Catherine felt like he’s doing another reading again but she only could assume. “Don’t read my thoughts, it’s not fair because I can’t read yours,” she told him.

“I think I interested to try on the suits you told me about,” said Arthur. “I’ll pick it later from Vienna Suite.”

“Ah, finally!” she exclaimed. “I can’t wait to see your new choices. By the way, can I have a strawberry milkshake?”

“I’ve been waiting for _that _request. One strawberry milkshake is on the way.”

On her hands, she brought Aurora Lane’s journal and treated it like a Holy Bible or sort of. She thought it would be wise to use the journal as a guide to the ship than using the fake George Clooney. Out of sudden, Catherine asked, “Arthur, can you tell me how was Jim coping with his loneliness before Aurora woke up?”

From across the table, Arthur answered her without making eye contact. He was focusing on making her drink. “He’s confused all the time and kept telling me that he’s completely and ridiculously screwed,” he said. “A year passed and he contemplated suicide.”

“Understandable,” she murmured. _I think I might, too,_ she thought. “Until he stumbled upon Aurora Lane’s pod one day,” he continued. “It was a hard decision to Jim.”

“To decided what?”

“To having companion with forcedly sabotage Aurora’s hibernation.”

“He _what?!_” _I can’t believe this. _“Jim woke her up?” Catherine repeated.

“He did,” Arthur finished making her milkshake and served it to her. “He lost his mind, didn’t he?!” she exclaimed.

“Not really. In fact, it was a rational idea to use a companion, especially from the opposite gender,” Arthur said.

“But… but it’s the same as putting a death sentence on Aurora!” she frowned. “It was selfish! Yes, he was _ridiculously screwed_! Did Aurora know, in the end?”

“Jim told me to not say a word, but I told her.”

“You wh―” she scoffed and buried her face on her hands. “This is ridiculous. They are ridiculous. You are ridiculous.”

Arthur glanced at Aurora Lane’s journal on the bar table. “I see you bring her journal here,” he said.

“Yeah, I haven’t finished it. Yet.”

“You might found Aurora’s point of view from her writings,” Arthur suggested.

“Good idea, but I still couldn’t believe it. It was a selfish thing to do. I don’t even consider waking up anyone,” she said and she started to open her journal.

_How would it feel if you’re alone in the sky and suddenly a guy came to your life, made your life would never be the same again, and turns out he’s been lying to you the entire time?_

_Jim said there’s no secret between us. How could he do this to me?! He took my fucking life because he doesn’t want to be fucking alone! Is it even my fault that he woke up? Is it my fault that his pod malfunctioned?! _

_I wouldn’t even wake anyone if I were him because it means I literally kill them! I would do nothing. I would not kill for a companion. Even though Arthur said that it was the hardest decision he ever made, it wasn’t a fair decision. _

_Well, fuck it. I shouldn’t let sentiment blurring my judgment._

This fact just made Catherine felt sore the whole day. After she thanked Arthur for the milkshake, she returned to her cabin without saying anything. After she took a bath and changed her clothes into pajamas, she kept thinking about Aurora Lane’s point of view and contemplating what would she did if she was in Aurora Lane’s place. Most of the time, she wondered if she took place in Jim Preston’s place and what decision she would make.


End file.
